EYES ON ICELAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 162, 10 July 1940, Page 5

EYES ON ICELAND.

A POWDER BARREL. WHY BRITAIN OCCUPIED IT. A NAZI STEPPING STONE. . (By IRA WOLFERT.) NEW YORK, June 10. With a British garrison now settled on it, Iceland's character as a powder barrel in an exploding world becomes more discernible. It is a powder barrel with fuse attached and Vilhjalinur Stefansson, the explorer, historian and geographer whose most recent book is called "Iceland: The First American Republic," explained in an interview to-day about the fuse. Without ibeing willing to say so directly—"l am a historian and scientist," he pointed out, "not an authority 011 military tactics or politics" —Dr. Stefansson made it clear that the Germans have their eyes on Iceland and that the island's major value is as a stepping stone between North America and Europe for aeroplanes. President Roosevelt, in his first defence message to Congress, mentioned that Greenland is only six hours by air from New England. Iceland, an island about as large as Ohio and with a population of 120,000—90 per cent of whom are of Norwegian or Irish descent —is le«ss than one hour from Greenland. "It is, also, because of its temperate climate, an excellent all-year-round air base," said Dr. Stefansson. "Its average temperature for its' coldest month is about that of Philadelphia. In addition,! the latest maps of the Danish geodetic, survey, which would be the most! accurate, show that Greenland extends 50 miles further east than the most easterly point of Iceland." Nazi "Holy Land." That would be what makes it a powder barrel. . The fuse is an.ancient, but now more than ever aggravated, difference in concept between the United States and Germany as to the place Iceland occupies in world affairs.

<; Not many seem to be aware of this," said Dr. Stelansson, "but Secretary of State Seward, at the time of-the purchase of Alaska, advocated the simultaneous purchase of both Iceland and Greenland —Alaska to . dominate-'^the North Pacific, Greenland and Iceland to dominate the North Atlantic. He was acting on a report, compiled at his request by Benjamin Mills Pierce;Vthen head of our coast survey. : Professor Pierce offered evidence to prove that 'by location, „ it (Iceland) belongs to the Western Hemisphere, and is.,an insular dependency of the North American Continent . . • ••• % "On the other hand, high Nazi officials in the course of their attempt to oust Christianity from Germany,. , have described Iceland as their Holy Land, and in a speech last summer, one of them —Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda, I believe—said that Germans of the type who once made pilgrimages-to Jerusalem should make pilgrimages. ..to Iceland to see the shrine of tli Tutonic religion." .> ■ The Nazis have not let it go with that; In Iceland they have practised what is now a familiar technique of penetration. Here it can be described as an attempt to make sure that if the God they worship cannot be on the side of the heaviest battalions, the heaviest battalions can be put on his side. "Under Hitler," said Dr. Stefansson, "Germany began to send teachers —paid by Germany—to lecture at the university and technical colleges. After that they sent over many athletic instructors, who formed classes and vereins and initiated friendly international competitions.. Iceland football teams toured Germany and Gerriian football teams toured Iceland. . ££ Peaceful "Penetration."' • "Suddenly the Nazis took to encouraging the sport of gliding—flying with motor aeroplanes. They ' sent over instructors and tools and materials. Two years ago, they sent over two aeroplanes, which proceeded carefully to survey and map all of Iceland and its innumerable harbours. Their announced purpose was to aid the sport of gliding. The newspapers became alarmed and pointed out at that time that Iceland had confidence in the British Navy. "Iceland is the best raiding point, next ' to Ireland, against shipping between the United States or Canada and Northern ■ Europe. Its harbours offer wonderful.

protection for. seaplanes ant! submarines and*'destroyers, and that very likely is why .Great Britain, garrisoned: it during campaign." ; . N !:' - • wlio is- consultant on northern/'operations - for !• Pan-American 1 Airways,', pointed out that it was onlyl 1 the;voutbreak;:of war. which has interi fereil:' with Vthe a{loption of Iceland as . the.:way-station route across the : Atlantic; • He. said • Pan-American has maintained '. station f there Tor- a year , now, and that the '. country's>"indefinitc .number of ice-free harbours" offer better-opportunities for on-schedule operations "all year 'round than the . "The fact that; -thelCermans arc alert to this is indicated by the interesting history of a certain lost letter," he said. "Long -before Hitler,- Lufthansa, the G'eriuan - aviatioii icompanjv- was engaged with :Icelanders''"in : the operation of a coinmerciakair service in Iceland. The companys went ■ bankrupt in 1932, I believe, and. the Prime Minister of Iceland, out of gratitude for Lufthansa's efforts, sent a letter promising Germany 'most ' favoured natioii'ltreatment in the establishment of commercial air bases.""" „ The Germans Withdrew." y"."In March, 1930, a report came to the attention of the German .Government that another country was preparing to set up a base in Iceland. The Germans promptly sent a Note reminding Iceland of the promise contained in the letter from its former. Prime Minister. They sent the Note ill the cruiser Etndcn, and two other, warships were reported to have come along, perhaps to help carry ;.p"The • filing system : .in . • Iceland, no doubt, is,£not .the best. • The Prime Minister was no longer in office. In fact, lie was 'dead: The Icelandic Government could not find the letter at all. ft . reported that, and added politely that the information of the German Government anent the establishment of an air base by another nation was erroneous. The Germans withdrew." Dr. Stefansson said that while the ureat number of harbours were perfect for big flying-boats, of the type used as long-range bombers now, there were few land airports in Iceland. "The Icelanders were deterred from building any by the natural feeling that land airports would merely make their country all the more desirable to a foreign nation."—N.A.N.A.